Focusing Your Evaluation Activities Chapter Four

Introduction  Program evaluation – collecting and using info to guide decision making  Needs assessment  Formative evaluation  Implementation evaluation  Process evaluation  Outcome evaluation  Cost analysis

Introduction cont…  Definition expanded-systematic collection of credible info for timely decision making  Systematic-clear purpose for collecting  Credibility-share the findings with others  Timely-must be done for quick decision making

Needs Assessment  Initial stages of planning  Also called market analyses  Justification for a new program  Service should be needed and wanted and not currently offered  Description of target audience, activities and resources

Needs Assessment Questions  Rationale?  Audience?  Need and demand?  Already exist?  Advertise?  What activities?  Resources?

Demographics  Size and distribution of the audience  Ethnicity  Income  Education  Job  Heart disease  Diabetes  Smokers

Existing Services  Competition in the area  Similar activities  Phone book may help  Look for advertising of fitness clubs and trainers  Redundancy?

Key Informants  Facility administrators  Fitness directors  Snowballing-talk to one and learn others names  What is currently available?  What is currently being offered?  What needs are not being met?

Potential Clients  A need and a demand are not the same  Schedule and payment and facilities  Information sources are:  Demographic  Existing services  Key informants  Potential clients  Periodic needs assessment every 5 to 10 years

Formative Evaluation  Also referred to as market testing  How does the target group respond  Prototype or promotional material  Prior to full scale development  Whether changes are needed  Does the message get to the clients

Implementation Evaluation  Does the program conform to the original plan  Follow-up on the program procedures  Site visits, records, minutes of meetings  Monitoring to insure program implementation

Process Evaluation  Evaluation of the program while up and running  What is the usage level?  How many clients?  Who dropped-out?  What are barriers?  Targeted audience vs. actual users

Process Evaluation cont…  May save money by seeing who is involved  Revising the program to fit needs of members  Periodic process evaluation will tell you if the program is meeting needs  Ask clients what they want and give it to them  Areas that you may improve  Ongoing event